NEW CATHOLIC SCHOOL AT CASTLECLIFF

New Zealand Tablet, 13 February 1919, Page 18

NEW CATHOLIC SCHOOL AT CASTLECLIFF

V The new St. Vincent - DA Paul’s Catholic school at Castlecliff was opened on‘Sunday afternoon, - February 2, the ceremony being performed by his -Grace-Arch-bishop .O’Shea, S.M., - D.D. (says • the -- Wanganui Herald). There was a large attendance at the - school, which was beautifully decorated for the occasion. The pastor of the district, Father O’Connell, S.M., expressed gratitude for his Grace coming to show his interest in the people of Castlecliff and to encourage them in the work dear to their hearts. The school was dedicated to St. Vincent de-Paul, in the first’place as a compliment, to the noble work that had been done for many years by the brothers of St. Vincent de Paul in catechising the children of Castlecliff, and in the second place to bless the work under the protection of the great St. Vincent de Paul, whose many virtues were well known to those present. The speaker expressed the wish that the work would be blessed by God and be productive of great good for the future. The building had cost £IOOO, and with the addition of the cottage and half-acre adjoining, the total expenditure was ‘£4400. Generous offers had been received by him from rich and poor to enable him to meet the burden, and he felt sure that the generosity of the people present would enable him to complete the work and to furnish the school in an up-to-date manner. Father O’Connell expressed the thanks of the Catholic community of Wanganui to the Very Rev. Dean Holley, S.M. (Provincial), for coming to Wanganui to help in the work. Other clergy present were Fathers Vibaud, S.M. (Otaki), D. Campbell, S.M. (Wellington), and M. O’Ferral, S.M.

Mr. W. Redwood read and presented the following address’ to Archbishop O’Shea

"Your Grace, —On behalf of the priests and people, and-Catholic organisations of Wanganui, we, the undersigned, desire to welcome you, and to offer you our heartfelt congratulations on the occasion of your silver jubilee of priesthood. We, in common with the rest of the Catholics of New Zealand, owe your Grace a very great debt of gratitude for your unremitting labors in the cause of Catholic education, and your unwavering support of Catholic Federation, and' we rejoice that the occasion of your present visit should be one so congenial to your Gracethat of opening a new Catholic school. Your strenuous work in the Catholic cause has always commanded our grateful admiration, and we can assure you of our loyal co-operation in all your undertakings, and we pledge ourselves to continue to shoulder cheerfully the burden we have had to carry in order to secure for our children the advantages of true education. We- thank your Grace for coming here to-day, and trust that we shall in the future often have the pleasure of seeing you in our midst. May God preserve your Grace in health and strength to perform, with as conspicuous success as in the past, vour arduous and lofty duties.—(Signed) For the parishioners—John A. O'Connell, S.M., D. P. Cullinane; Catholic Federation Thomas Lloyd, W. M. Lux ford ; Hibernian Society—G. O'Brien, W. J. McGonigle ; St. Vincent de Paul Society—J. Carmody, C. Morgan, P. Benefield, M. J. Dowling : Children of Mary—M. Kennedy, L. Roche; Castlecliff residents—J. Connor, F. McKenzie; hon. secretary, W. Redwood. February 2, 1919." J His Grace, in reply, thanked the priests and people of Wanganui for their splendid manifestations of respect and the loyalty shown to him. He congratulated Father O'Connell and those associated with him on the splendid results of their efforts. He also congratulated the builder (Mr. Bates), on the- substantial building that had been erected. It was a great pleasure to come amongst his people. They had referred to his 25 years of priesthood, which showed him that the years were fast rolling by. There was a great evidence of prosperity in Wanganui, and Castlecliff had made great strides since his last visit.